Old Enemies
by Moonshine-Aqua
Summary: Lithuania/Toris is content with his life as an independant nation and looks forward to an uneventful night of sleep. Until an unexpected and unwelcome visitor drops by, bringing back memories unwanted. Rated for Gilbert's language and mild violence. Human names used.


The sun had set over an hour ago. Toris hadn't really noticed until now- now that he felt he'd finished today's work to an acceptable degree. It was hard work- being independent, but so, so worth it. He could step outside for some fresh air if the work became too much and the air he'd breathe was his own. The soil he stood on was his. The country of Lithuania would never truly tire now that he lived and worked within his own borders once more. In all those years of being occupied or otherwise not truly belonging to himself he'd almost forgotten what it felt like. The mere thought put a slight smile on his face, standing up from his desk after making sure everything was put away properly.

The streetlights blinked on, making him perk and his smile grow brighter. The large oak tree in front of his modest home's window found its branches waving in the gentle breeze. Even though he had been free for decades now- he still wasn't done marveling at the feeling of it. Alfred and Feliks, the United States and Poland respectively, had helped a great deal for him to truly be able to feel this now- feel the hum of liberty running through his veins. He'd always be grateful to the two. There was a quiet nod to himself in confirmation of the thought as he shut the blinds and stretched briefly, deciding to get some early rest tonight. The Lord knew he could use all the rest he could get, even if the tiredness creeping into his limbs was the best kind possible.

000

Not half an hour later the Lithuanian nation slipped under the blankets, giving a content sigh as he settled in- pleasant thoughts of freedom and independance floating around his head still. Today had been a good day for his nation as a whole, of course he could tell. Tonight the darkness wouldn't come to taunt him- the negativity wouldn't seep into his consciousness from the back of his mind to cause him problems. He fully intended to make good use of the fact, pleased that it seemed that nights like these were growing more frequent. A slow increase over the years. Being able to slowly count on his souvereignity was helping his mental state without a doubt. Freedom couldn't be overestimated. And he wouldn't ever give it up again. Not for the world.

Allowing his eyes to slowly fall shut Toris let his thoughts continue to wander yet subconsciously kept them in the happy corridors of his mind. The satisfying exhaustion in his body would soon tug him to sleep. In his own bed, in his own room, in his own house and in his own country. Comfortable and safe.

Comfortable and safe, that was, before a shiver ran up his spine. The sudden tremble caused him to slightly frown, cracking open his eyes with annoyance chasing away the previous content happiness -ignoring the hint of fear settling in the pit of his stomach. Someone else was near or something just happened- he used to get these sensations all the time. Back when Russia or Germany had the power to dictate his every move. Quietly he scanned the half-dark of his room in the hope to catch sight of whatever was throwing off his senses. Nothing was there. Nothing he could see, at least.

Suddenly a noise broke through the silence- a soft groan right behind him making the brunette go positively rigid with unexpected tension. For a few agonizingly slow moments he held his breath, quietly praying he'd heard wrong. Nothing happened.  
Right when Toris finally felt like he could release his breath again there were a few murmured words. Words in a tongue that he was more than familiar with despite it not being his own. Swallowing heavily he slowly turned. Onto his back first. Slowly he was turning his head to the side and found himself freezing a second time. Silver hair. Pale skin. Features painfully well known to him, definitely not a face the Lithuanian nation would like to see again- let alone here. In the place where he was supposed to be in control, safe from the past. But if that was what his house was supposed to be, then how...?

Apparently the Lithuanian's tension was strong enough to start making the sleeping ex-nation stir too. Toris had no idea what to do- should he run? Hide? Should he kick that smug bastard out of his bed? Lunge for his sword and old armour kept in prime condition on the other side of his room? Prepare for the kind battle that had swords clash and waving banners drowning in an ocean of blood?

In the end none of the thoughts, some more credible and sane than others, whirling through his head pushed him into motion. Not until sluggishly the pale eyelids of the unexpected intruder fluttered open to reveal ruby-red orbs, gazing at him sleepily. Not until pale brows furrowed in confusion when red met green. Toris had no idea how to answer the questions he could see flickering to life as his old enemy's mind started to kick into gear. Then without much warning the recognition and realization flared and everything happened all at once.

"Was zum Teufel-" Prussia hissed, jolting and jumping up, yanking the blankets along out of what Toris assumed was reflex. The same reflex that made him grab onto said blankets with a startled sound and try to keep them near- causing a bit of a comical tug-o'-war between the two nations. Said tug-o'-war soon ended in a stalemate with the albino angrily muttering to himself in his mother tongue. The Lithuanian could make out most of the words as they were spat out in enraged confusion- they'd been neighbours for long enough and his german wasn't half bad. "Verdammte Scheiße nochmal England, Ich habe es nicht ernst gemeint als ich dich herausforderte mich zu Teleportieren! Wieso zur Hölle hier?!"  
Toris frowned. England? Why would England bother pointlessly spending his more mysterious competences on the waste of land currently in front of him? Although Toris could definitely agree on one thing Gilbert was grumbling about- why the hell would he be sent here?

There was only one way to hopefully find out a little more without having to pick up the phone and wake Arthur. The brittish country wasn't much of a morning person, then again who would be happy about being called out of bed? Toris didn't want to risk getting teleported into someone's bed himself- no thank you. "What are you doing here Gilbert?!" The words had a harsh undertone that honestly he hadn't meant to put there- but at least they made the albino shut up and pay attention, even if it was only to give him a dirty glare. "Pretty sure your german is good enough to have caught what I just said," the german bit back. "Ask England- fucker must've thought this was funny or something. Your bed's the last place I'd ever wanna get into, and trust me that says something!" Toris narrowed his eyes and didn't deem it necessary to dignify those rude words with a reply. Instead he simply released the red fabric of his bedsheet, watching with mild satisfaction when Gilbert's startled face soon disappeared from his view as the albino man tumbled back and off the edge of the bed. "Scheiße!" The frustration with which the word was spat out was enough for Toris to control the unpleasant sensations nearly giving him a stomachache. Confusion and uncertainty mixed with anger over his home being infiltrated in such an effortless way and then the hatred smouldering in the depths of his being. Hatred aimed for the man caught in a tangled blanket sporting the Lithuanian coat of arms. He never liked the feeling of it- but there was next to nothing about the ex country on the floor that he wanted to treat with respect.

Prussia obviously didn't expect help nor did he ask for it and Toris looked on with a tense caution to his posture as he remained perched on the bed. Being on higher ground felt oddly safer in the current situation. And watching the other fight to get out of the embarassing situation wasn't an unwelcome sight either.

The tension making the brunette's body go stiff had already bled into the air- making it thick and almost heavy. Pregnant with these unspoken feelings of animosity and mutual distaste. The quiet swearing that went along with the albino's struggling against the blanket brought back memories. Memories of times Toris would honestly rather forget. Memories of Soviet Russia and the day he had finally declared his independance from their formerly common superior. That day was the last time he'd ever met Gilbert face to face- and he could still feel those red eyes burning in his back when he had been given the opportunity to leave- while the degraded Prussia had to stay. He couldn't say he hadn't felt a twinge of guilt- but he had to follow where history took him. They all had to. Even back then the red-eyed man had proved far too headstrong for his own good. Didn't know when to swallow his pride and obey for the sake of himself and others. And Gilbert never changed. Too stubborn to know when to stop. Too stubborn to quit trying to take what wasn't his. Too stubborn to give up his so called 'honour' and 'loyalty', letting his little brother plunge the world into a second great war. Too stubborn to die when that war ended.

Harsh. Cruel. Obnoxious. Arrogant. Gilbert was all the things Toris tried not to be in this prolonged life they as countries were given and the contrast of their personalities had never brought them good relations with each other. Not truly. Deep down he knew they were both to 'blame' for that as it were- but he liked to feel like Gilbert held most responsibility for the lack of diplomatic relations. What with his war-hungry mentality and disrespectful demeanor towards anyone that dared defy him.

"Take back your disgusting covers-" The sudden growl pulled him from his thoughts, startled and ashamed to be caught zoning out when his enemy was right in front of him and well... No longer on the ground it seemed. Flustered by the realization he'd fumble a moment causing him to almost miss the blankets thrown at his head, barely managing to get the fabric down and out of his view fast enough not to lose sight of Prussia for too long. A brief, sideways glance at the clock allowed him to forgive himself for his moment of distraction. He should be asleep right now.

With a sigh he would look back at the albino, alert but a little less tense than before. Was he planning anything? He had to be- Gilbert never wasn't planning something. Yet for now the white-haired menace was simply strolling around the room like he owned the place. Complete with that smug smile and arrogant look of amusement that made Toris' hands itch to find his sword and beat some humility into the other. Like he had in the good old times, at Grunwald. How dare that ex nation move like that in _his_ room? It somehow seemed like Gilbert's thoughts had guided him to the same memory of a battle fought in medieval Europe because the Lithuanian could have sworn that the other's smile diminished a little. Scoffing the Prussian turned away from him- but Toris never turned from the other as he sauntered around, pausing here and there to look at some trinkets and keepsakes. Little bits of Lithuanian history- or at least symbols thereof. Still in Toris' room. Still as calmly and seemingly relaxed as if the prussian were home. A sudden surge of anger caused the brunette to finally move, dropping his blankets to the bed and getting to his feet in a fluid motion, hands turning to fists at his side. Taking a deep breath he tried to make sure to stay in control and focus on what little positivity could be found in the current situation. Like the fact that Gilbert was not naked but instead wearing sweatpants and a white t-shirt with his precious black eagle printed on the front. Obnoxious clothing was better than no clothing at all.

"You've got no right to be here." The faint anger cast an echo of itself in his words and Toris watched it make Gilbert pause and give a bored glance back at him. Apparently the shock of the unexpected situation had worn off and one of the other's go-to masks had slipped into place: bored apathy. Somehow it made the rage flare again although Lithuania was far too familiar with it to let it make him slip up. Even if his words were laced with a venomous tone rare to come from his lips. "..Might I remind you of everything you've done here in the past? I don't want you here. Go back to Germany where there's at least people that can _pretend_ to tolerate you when there's nowhere you belong."

The bored look was gone in an instant but Toris never got the time to feel ay kind of satisfaction -or guilt- about making the Prussian's temper flare when moments later the albino's fist connected to his jaw. Shocked he found himself staggering back- pain blossoming and then stabilizing, settling into a pounding ache. His scrambling thoughts didn't even get the time to assemble with Gilbert's hands coming right at him again- grabbing hold of the collar of his nightwear and yanking him back forward. Vaguely Toris noted how strong the sudden pull forward was, especially for a nation that no longer existed. When he finally got back his balance and noted how quick his breathing had become he would slowly look ahead. Straight into the two glowing red embers of the other's eyes. Gilbert's bloodred gaze was drilling into his own, the other man's scowl far too close for comfort, harsh breaths and harsh grip not harsh enough to distract from the intensity of Prussia's expression. The tension had skyrocketed and every fiber in Toris' being was fighting for him to stay calm- his own hands having found the ones holding onto him both in warning and to hide the faint trembling caused by the raging adrenaline.

The tense status quo went barely challenged for several moments that felt like an eternity. Neither man moved, neither man broke eye contact. Toris was already working up the courage to stop this ridiculous situation when he found it was not his own but instead Gilbert's voice that ended up breaking the silence. And when it did it was nothing like the Lithuanian expected. There were no taunts, no words of 'awesome'- instead the other's voice was trembling with raw emotion. Anger- that much he could tell for certain. Yes, Anger, but there was also more- and perhaps it was curiosity that drove him to listen in the end. Either that or a twisted sense of satisfaction to see that even without a sword he could still wound the other.

"My people are here too," came the breathed growl, making him raise an eyebrow in confusion with faint concern twitching at the edge of his thoughts. With slow and deliberate words his own voice was raised above the quiet, cautious as if telling the ex-kingdom about what happened 68 years ago all over again. Did the other hit his head that hard when he fell off the bed? Couldn't he remember what had happened after the second world war came to an end?

"..What are you talking about Gilbert- You...Have no people." Speaking those words brought about the first unwelcome pang of sympathy for the albino in front of him. Certainly- Toris knew there is deep-rooted hatred for this red-eyed demon that grew from the soil just south of his borders. But a forced dissolution of the kind Gilbert had to go through he wished on no-one. And he didn't miss the pain that accompanied the fury flashing in Gilbert's eyes, distracting him enough to miss a new wave of violence causing the silverette to lash out once more. Without any ceremony the albino moved on the surge of energy given to him by his rage, slamming the older country into the wall- causing him to give out a quiet grunt in pain before finding his old enemy's eyes again. Gilbert's whole body was trembling by now, fists balled in the Lithuanian's clothes. This was truly an unfamiliar situation. Despite being the one pushed against the wall Toris felt oddly in control- unlike the obviously distressed German that was staring at him- the look in his eyes filled with as much anger as agony and desperation. He stayed silent. Gilbert opened his mouth, but for once he seemed to hesitate about what words to use. "...They came to me..." The ex-nation eventually managed to spit out through gritted teeth, narrowing his eyes and tightening his grip on the Lithuanian's collar. Suddenly Toris knew what the Prussian was talking about. It made him tense and slightly narrow his eyes- already mounting a defense for the accusations he knew were soon to come.

He wasn't disappointed nor did he have to wait for long- even if Gilbert's half crazed eyes seemed to be searching for acknowledgement of the words just spoken in Lithuania's own. He hid it. Trying to seem as apathetic as he could manage- really this wasn't the time nor the place for him to discuss the history of a group counting little over a hundred thousand people. But he could hear, hell... He could _feel_ the desperation radiating off of the other as he continued. As if he was clinging to this truth for the sake of his very survival. With a start Toris realized that perhaps Gilbert's survival by now indeed depended on broken strings like these. The Prussian was grasping at straws- the realization causing him to keep his words to himself and listen, baffled, to a sudden barrage of recollections from a country he was relieved to know no longer held any authority.

"I always welcomed them- you know that Toris? I welcomed them when their land became mine and they had nowhere else to go- but you..You never... Fucking did!" The shaking of Gilbert's hands grew worse- the rage and the pain of loss Toris could tell he tried to hold back. But the Lithuanian had spent too long treading on eggshells, reading the body language and intonation of others' voices. He could tell. And there is a pang of guilt when he realized that the story didn't bother him nearly as much as he felt it should. "Not until I lost it all-" the Albino continued, "-and even then you treated them as if they were the scum of the earth! F-fuck you Toris- fuck you and your god fucking damn hypocrisy!" He could feel his body stiffen at those words- his will to care retreating further into the back of his mind while he continued to study his foe's torn expression. "And when the time came- they wanted him- alright? They wanted Ludwig. For fuck's sake they didn't want you. They NEVER wanted you- Don't you FUCKING REMEMBER?" No answer- just a condescending glare by now. Unimpressed by Gilbert's shouting he felt more and more of his concern slip away. This emotional wreck could hardly be called a country- just like the mess Prussia had been in when they fought at Grunwald. Using backhanded tricks to try and get to victory. Young and reckless. Proud and stupid. Gilbert was not young anymore- but he was still reckless. And although the Black Eagle's pride was broken- he was still stupid. What little willingness had been there from Toris' side to try and help the other had melted away very quickly with Prussia's harsh words. Unfortunately the brunette's silence was taken as a sign that it was okay to keep going. More unwelcome memories featuring some of his less merciful moments. But just because those moments existed was no reason for this red-eyed demon to bring them back. He wasn't recalling his own time occupied by Nazi Germany and repeating the experiences out loud in Gilbert's face either- was he? Talking about being hypocritical...

Again he was pulled back from his thoughts by the other's raw voice. "Even after everything we did-" We being Prussia and Germany, or so Toris presumed, "-they still wanted us. Even then!" Gilbert laughed- it was a pathetic sound. None of the pretentious 'kesesesese' noise usually associated with the other. The only good thing about it was that at least Gilbert had given up pretending to be in control of his emotions right now. "And YOU looked down on them." The hatred was simply dripping from the words and well..The feeling was returned. For a moment Toris tried to get a word in, opening his mouth to do so but...The albino ex nation wasn't done yet. "They were prosecuted like Germans. They suffered like Germans. They died like Germans. They fucking _identified_ as Germans. Russia expelled them, denied them food and you..." A deep breath, Toris watched Gilbert's chest expand. The other's gaze has long been directed away from his own green eyes and was currently staring unseeing at the wall next to his head. The other's voice dropped in volume- the tone quieter as if he was struggling to hide the hurt in them. "...You enforced his policies. You took their homes. You put them in those camps. Even after the wall fell you never gave them back what was rightfully theirs- and even...Even the few that chose to stay with you in the end- they are still mine."

The silence came back. Toris wasn't sure if he refused to answer the other's ramblings out of spite or because he simply didn't have an answer. Gilbert and him had rarely seen eye to eye- yet with the Prussian no longer having a country and the man's brother being much more pleasant to work with could they still be called enemies? The human part of him held onto the animosity between them and he had a feeling that would never truly go away. But he also knew that as countries nearly all of them were responsible for bad things. Gilbert had done worse to his own citizens than what had just been discribed. And yet looking at those now dull ruby orbs still staring at the wall Toris understood that Gilbert's words weren't meant for him alone. How much pent up pain and frustration was the other carrying with him? The albino's grip had changed too. Toris was no longer being pressed up against the wall, instead it felt almost as if the other was holding onto his clothes for support now.

"...They were always mine..." The soft, distant whisper startled him back into full awareness, listening to the silence grow. Wordlessly Toris tried to find words that accurately conveyed what he felt. Anger over Prussia's unwarrented presence and unfair accusations. Hatred from years of battle and forceful occupation. They contrasted too heavily with the pity prodding and poking at his humanity as he gazed upon the shadow of what once was one of the most powerful kingdoms in Europe. It made him almost sad to disagree with the other and as such he did so in silence. The Prussian-Lithuanians might still identify deep down as being German or even Prussian- but only for now. The few thousand left within his own borders wouldn't be Gilbert's for much longer. Every generation would loose a bit of what made their culture unique. In a few hundred years they would be Lithuanian through and through. And then what would Prussia cling to for life?

"...Get out of my house." The words slipped past his lips before he knew what he was saying, but their effect was immediate. The sound of his voice hadn't even died down yet before Toris felt Gilbert's hands let go of his clothes, his red gaze turned down. Moments later the ex-nation was gone and the brunette was left to himself once more. Staring ahead- his own words echoing in his mind.

His house. A place all his own. Somewhere to symbolize his independance where he could rest, smile and be vulnerable as much as he wanted to without having to be cautious not to be caught displaying behaviour that might land him trouble. Slowly he turned his head for the door Gilbert just rushed through to leave. The intense hatred slowly subsiding allowed him to calm down and realize that everything he had now..A house, a government, borders to call his own. Everything he is and enjoys- the albino no longer had any of it. And he never would again. For the first time he considered that perhaps his old enemy did not quite deserve what he'd got. Punishment, yes. Yet the half-existence that in the end befell the once prussian nation...What decent country would ever wish that on another?

Shaky steps lead him back to his bed. Moving without thinking he started to make it with routine motions picked up from times he'd rather not recall. Once he finished he sat down and slowly moved to stare at his hands. Once upon a time Gilbert and him fought. Face to face. Hate and bloodlust in both their eyes- equals despite the younger nation's lack of experience. Through the years the albino never gave Toris any reason to change his opinion of the prussian and even now he felt reluctant to so much as consider the option that there might be more to Gilbert's bravado than met the eye. And yet he worried for the fate and wellbeing of one he would say deserved that consideration the least.  
A dull ache caused him to grimace and reach for his stomach, sighing once more. Maybe sleep wouldn't come so easily tonight after all. "...Damn you England.."

* * *

 **Translations:** _Was zum Teufel_ = What the fuck  
 _Verdammte Scheiße nochmal England, Ich habe es nicht ernst gemeint als ich dich herausforderte mich zu Teleportieren! Wieso zur Hölle hier?!_ = Damn shit England I didn't actually mean it when I challenged you to teleport me! Why the fuck here?!  
 _Scheiße_ = Shit

 **Author's notes:** This was written for a Hetalia exchange over on Tumblr- and with that it is my very first fanfiction ever. I chose to go with the given duo of 'Prussia and Lithuania as enemies' and the prompt of 'I just teleported into your bed accidentally, oops'. I hope you enjoy your fanfic adventures-in-mangaland!

Critiques are welcome! My apologies if either of the characters seems OOC, I'm honestly not that familiar with Lithuania and I adore Prussia far too much to dare write from his point of view this first time. Tried looking up a lot about Lithuania so I hope he feels natural! The two of them as enemies felt interesting though and I eventually found a very intriguing piece of history that I could tie into this story.  
The people Prussia is talking about are the **Prussian-Lithuanians** , a group of at their height maybe 120 000 people that once lived in Lithuania but their land eventually went to Prussia and with that they did too. They were converted to Protestantism when the head of the Teutonic knights/Duke of Prussia did. Said duke had services held in Lithuanian for these people. Over time they really identified with Prussia and later Germany and were looked down upon by the people of Lithuania-Major. When put to vote they'd rather belong to Germany than to go back to Lithuania. Even after the wars that was the case and as such they were discriminated against by the Soviet army, robbed of their homes etc.  
Eventually most of them relocated to Germany, many to the US too- only about 20 000 stayed in the land that was returned to Lithuania.

Most of that information is taken from Wikipedia so apologies for potential untruths! Hope you all enjoy this story!


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